The extracellular matrix metalloproteinases are secreted from mammal animal cells, and decomposes extracellular matrix (collagen, type IV collagen, laminin proteoglican, fibronectin, elastin, gelatin, etc.). Abnormal promotion of secretion and activity of extracellular matrix metalloproteinases are considered to induce various diseases, including metastasis, infiltration and proliferation of cancer cells, rheumatoid arthritis, peridontal diseases, corneal ulcer, osteoporosis, other bone absorption diseases, multiple sclerosis, and the like. Substances showing inhibitory actions of extracellular matrix metalloproteinases include natural products such as TIMP-1, TIMP-2, and .alpha..sub.2 -macroglobulin. Compounds possessing such inhibitory action are disclosed in the Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 62-230757, WO-905716 and WO-9217460. More specifically, the Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 62-230757 discloses a compound expressed in a formula: ##STR2## [where A denotes a group HN(OH)--CO-- or HCO--NOH--; R.sup.A is an alkyl group with C.sub.2 to C.sub.5 ; R.sup.B is a characteristic group of a natural .alpha.-amino acid of which any existing functional group may be protected, any existing amino group may be acylated, or any existing carboxylic group may be formed into amide (however, excluding hydrogen atom or methyl group); R.sup.C is hydrogen atom, amino, hydroxy, mercapto, C.sub.1 to C.sub.6 alkyl, C.sub.1 to C.sub.6 alkoxy, C.sub.1 to C.sub.6 alkylamino, C.sub.1 to C.sub.6 alkylthio or aryl- (C.sub.1 to C.sub.6 alkyl) group, or amino- (C.sub.1 to C.sub.6 alkyl), hydroxy- (C.sub.1 to C.sub.6 alkyl), mercapto- (C.sub.1 to C.sub.6 alkyl) or carboxyl- (C.sub.1 to C.sub.6 alkyl) of which amino, hydroxy, mercapto or carboxyl group may be protected, amino group may be acylated, or carboxyl group may be formed into amide; R.sup.D is hydrogen atom or methyl group, R.sup.E is hydrogen atom, or C.sub.1 to C.sub.6 alkyl, C.sub.1 to C.sub.6 alkoxy-C.sub.1 to C.sub.6 alkyl, di(C.sub.1 to C.sub.6 alkoxy)-methylene, carboxyl, (C.sub.1 to C.sub.6 alkyl)-carbonyl, (C.sub.1 to C.sub.6 alkoxy)-carbonyl, arylmethoxycarbonyl, (C.sub.1 to C.sub.6 alkyl)aminocarbonyl or arylaminocarbonyl; R.sup.F is hydrogen atom or methyl group, R.sup.B and R.sup.D may be combined together to form --(CH.sub.2)m-- group wherein p is 4 to 11; and R.sup.D and R.sup.F may be combined together to form trimethylene group].
WO-905716 discloses a compound expressed in a formula: ##STR3## [where R.sup.G is hydrogen atom, C.sub.1 to C.sub.6 alkyl, C.sub.1 to C.sub.6 alkenyl, phenyl, phenyl (C.sub.1 to C.sub.6) alkyl, C.sub.1 to C.sub.6 alkylthiomethyl, phenylthiomethyl, substituted phenylthiomethyl, phenyl(C.sub.1 to C.sub.6)alkylthiomethyl, or hexacyclic thiomethyl group; or R.sup.G denotes --SR.sup.X, where R.sup.X denotes as follows: ##STR4## [where R.sup.H is hydrogen atom, C.sub.1 to C.sub.6 alkyl, C.sub.1 to C.sub.6 alkenyl, phenyl (C.sub.1 to C.sub.6) alkyl, cycloalkyl (C.sub.1 to C.sub.6) alkyl, or cycloalkenyl (C.sub.1 to C.sub.6) alkyl group; R.sup.I is amino acid side chain, C.sub.1 to C.sub.6 alkyl, benzyl, (C.sub.1 to C.sub.6) alkoxybenzyl, benzyloxy (C.sub.1 to C.sub.6) alkyl or benzyloxybenzyl group; R.sup.J is hydrogen atom or methyl group; q is an integer of 1 to 6; and B is --NH.sub.2 group, substituted noncyclic amine or heterocyclic base].
WO-9217460 discloses a compound expressed in a formula: ##STR5## [where R.sup.K is hydrogen atom, C.sub.1 to C.sub.6 alkyl or --(CH.sub.2).sub.r --D--R.sup.N group; r is 0 or an integer of 1 to 6; D is single bond, or oxygen or sulfur atom; R.sup.N is aryl which may be substituted or heteroaryl which may be substituted; R.sup.L is an alkyl group with C.sub.3 to C.sub.6 ; R.sup.M is --(CH.sub.2).sub.s --E--(CH.sub.2).sub.t -- group; s is an integer of 1 to 9; t is an integer of 2 to 10; E is --NR.sup.O -- group (R.sup.O is hydrogen atom, C.sub.1 to C.sub.6 alkyl, C.sub.2 to C.sub.6 alkanoyl, C.sub.1 to C.sub.6 alkoxycarbonyl, aryl, aralkyl, or aralkyloxycarbonyl, in which each aryl group may possess a substituent); and --(CH.sub.2).sub.s -- is bonded to a carbon atom indicated by * in formula (53)].
At the present, however, a compound having a strong inhibitory action while low in toxicity has not been discovered yet.